Maputo, Nov. 5, 2024 (Lusa) - Mozambique's government announced on Tuesday another natural gas discovery off the coast of Inhambane. The commercial viability of this discovery has yet to be assessed. The government acknowledged that, as in other countries, these discoveries would whet "the appetite of external forces".
"Regarding the issue of the discovery of gas in Inhambane versus external forces, I think that this is the risk that occurs in any country that has subsoil resources that are being discovered," said the cabinet spokesman, Filimão Suaze, at the end of the ordinary meeting of that body, which took place today in Maputo, in which the results of this drilling in the PT5-C area were analysed.
"Eventually, here and there, we already have the experience of other countries in which this has aroused the appetite of external forces and we have to fight them. But we also have to exploit the resources we have (...) to develop the states," he said, when questioned by journalists.
He also added that "other phases will follow to assess" the "commercial viability" of this discovery in Mozambique, which has some of Africa's largest natural gas reserves.
"And when that's the case, and it's the hallmark of our country, that whole process of transparency in the tenders, and so on, until the actual exploration takes place and for the country's good. If there are external forces, the internal ones have to play their part to defend and develop the country," he said.
According to the information analysed today by the cabinet, the presence of natural gas was confirmed during the operation of the first borehole in the PT5-C area in Inhambane province.
Subsequent analyses have shown that this is another discovery. He said additional evaluations will follow to determine its size and verify its viability.
According to information from the National Petroleum Institute (INP), hydrocarbon exploration and research in the Pande and Temane onshore area (PT5-C), located in the Mozambique Basin, was awarded in 2018 to Sasol Petroleum Mozambique Exploration Limitada (70%) and Empresa Nacional de Hidrocarbonetos (30%).
Mozambique has three development projects approved to exploit the natural gas reserves of the Rovuma basin, classified among the largest in the world, off the coast of Cabo Delgado, including one by TotalEnergies, still suspended due to security issues, also on the Afungi peninsula.
PVJ/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
